Likud lawmakers stripped of key primary advantage
The Likud party court has annulled a rule that allowed sitting lawmakers and ministers to run in district primaries. The decision, made in response to petitions against a clause approved at the party conference last week, limits the opportunities of current parliamentarians. Netanyahu retains eight slots on the list, and the party, according to polls, could win about 23 seats. New candidates in the districts gain an advantage, as they will not have to compete with well-known figures. The court also ruled that the 35th slot is not reserved for women, and the Jerusalem–Shfela–Judea and Samaria district will not be divided.
The Likud party court has annulled a rule that allowed sitting Knesset members, ministers, and deputy ministers to participate in district primaries. This decision dramatically changes the balance of power within the party list. The initiative, promoted by Prime Minister Netanyahu and Minister Haim Katz, was approved at the party conference last week by a narrow margin. The court also ruled that a sitting lawmaker cannot claim a guaranteed spot on the list unless they resign and forgo the use of state funds. Netanyahu has been granted the right to allocate eight slots on the list, and according to recent polls, the party can expect about 23 mandates. Thus, all other candidates have about 16 realistically winnable slots. The main beneficiaries of the decision are new candidates in the districts who have not previously been elected to the Knesset. District representatives will be able to compete for positions 27, 28, 30, and 31 on the list. The court also ruled that the 35th slot is not intended to ensure women's representation, and the Jerusalem–Shfela–Judea and Samaria district will not be divided. A candidate can claim the 'immigrant quota' if they immigrated to Israel after January 1, 1990. The social forum at the Histadrut labor federation called the decision 'a victory for common sense.' A week earlier, the Likud Central Committee approved the proposal by Netanyahu and Katz, which allocated eight slots to the prime minister and changed primary rules. However, Katz's initiative to allow sitting ministers and lawmakers to run in districts was passed by a narrow margin, sparking complaints of irregularities, fraud, and the removal of observers from polling stations. After appeals were filed, the head of the Likud court, former Knesset member Michael Kleiner, formed an expanded panel of five judges. MK David Bitan, in his complaint, demanded an urgent and comprehensive investigation into the serious violations that occurred during the conference vote.